Various types of goose and duck decoys are available to the sportsman to attract the waterfowl within shooting range. Ducks and especially geese are prone to be attracted to a decoy or decoys having the coloration simulating their own species. Experienced hunters are aware of this and will put out decoys of the particular species they wish to attract.
One of the problems the hunter or sportsman faces is that of changing the decoys when he wishes to attract a different species of water fowl. Changing a decoy spread is not only time consuming and detracts from the enjoyment of the hunt, but also requires additional decoys to be carried or transported to the hunting area.
Foldable or collapsible goose or duck decoys, as disclosed is prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,450,572; 2,478,585; 2,489,27l and 2,662,327 are limited to depiction of a single species of water fowl inherent in the construction of the decoy or intent of the inventor, thus requiring a plurality of decoys of different species if he is desirous of attracting different species of water fowl. It is not uncommon for a decoy spread to consist of forty to fifty decoys so the handling of a large number of decoys becomes quite burdensome.
The desirability of being able to change a decoy so as to change its coloration to simulate different species has heretofore been appreciatd, as exemplified by the disclosures in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 547,033; 747,732; 2,706,357; 2,880,544 and 3,470,645 which all disclose the concept of utilizing removable and variable slip covers for obtaining the different display species. The slip cover concept is time consuming and requires that a large number of separated covers be carried by the hunter.
The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages of the above noted patents and provides a unique foldable and collapsible decoy in which two main body forming halves with attached head and neck portions are so hinged and releasably interconnectable that they can be folded in one direction to represent one species of water fowl, and in a reversed direction to represent a different species.
A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a unique support for each decoy which permits it to rotatably swing in the wind, the support being provided with an adjustable brake to regulate its swinging movements to relatively slow movements which enhance the effectiveness of the decoy, and prevents quick and erratic movements which might tend to startle and alarm an approaching flock of fowl.